By Raffique Shah
December 19, 2010
“Gobar in de mansions, gobar on de ground
“Gobar in de country, gobar in de town…”
(David Rudder, “The Savagery”, 1998)
SOME people who have the power to effect change and the courage to pursue noble goals with great enthusiasm, often find themselves stumped by the savagery they encounter when they tackle seemingly intractable problems. Trinidadians (more so than Tobagonians) are a strange people. We are mostly warm, friendly, helpful, and sometimes generous to a fault.
But we also have set ways—like drinking alcohol wherever and whenever we want to. From young students who sneak flasks of rum into their classrooms to managers who secrete similar-sized bourbon or whiskey in their executive desks, we must pretend these misdemeanours are acceptable. Interfere with our right to drink whatever concoction we “invent” (I hear Puncheon rum and beer is the hit cocktail among the young), and all hell breaks loose.
Which leaves me wondering what prompted Port of Spain Mayor Louis Lee Sing to think he could change our drinking culture, however idealistic he may be about cleaning up the capital city. Bar owners and patrons came down on Louis like the proverbial tonne of bricks. How dare he suggest that publicans stop selling alcohol at midnight? Hell, even if Louis concedes an additional two hours, our drinkers would want none of that.
After all, this is Trinidad, the paradise-island where laws, rules and regulations are routinely ignored. Louis can cite all the Canadian, American or British precedents and practices he wants, to no effect. People who comply with stringent liquor laws in these developed countries complain bitterly about any attempt to impose similar regulations here.
You drink all your stomach can hold, and then some, which you excrete on some nearby residents’ walls. Say what? This paradise is a vast urinal anyway, so who gives a damn? Men, and now more than a few women, just bare their “pee-pees” anywhere, anytime. Do not even think of tampering with their rights to urinate, defecate or fornicate in public.
Mayor Lee Sing also made a bold attempt to take vagrants off the streets of the capital, albeit without proper planning for alternative accommodation. Again, supposedly sane citizens cried out, “How dare he touch these poor, homeless souls?” While I agree that many of these people need help, and some can be salvaged, I have long felt that Chacachacare can be restored with accommodations, utilities (including its own power and desalination plants) and other conveniences to house vagrants, drug addicts and other deviants. This is a better option than putting them in jail.
But people do not want any such changes. After all, vagrants are as much part of our cityscapes as the excuses-for-sidewalks, seeping sewage, and eyesores like bush-and-derelict-covered empty plots.
Soon, illegal “PH” cars will be regularised. Instead of insisting that the owners of these vehicles have them lawfully converted into taxis, the Government seems to be comfortable with legitimising lawlessness. Doing that, they argue, will formalise an existing system that provides a critical service to residents off main commuter routes. Fair enough.
The Government may now want to look at prostitution, which is legal in many developed countries: mutual consent, exchange of dollars and two people’s needs are satiated. Or the private use of marijuana, which many countries have legalised. This puts the big drug dealers out of business, since people can grow their “grass”. Tens of thousands of upstanding citizens “smoke weed” recreationally, and never commit criminal acts or descend into cocaine addiction or alcoholism.
Independent Senator Subhas Ramkhelawan stated recently that some 5,000 citizens have applied for firearm licences, but have received no responses to their applications. I’m surprised the applicants are so few. Given the number of firearms in the hands of criminals—tens of thousands, some of them sophisticated weapons—law-abiding citizens should be entitled to own guns for their defence and that of their families.
Like all the “gobar” that’s spewing around the country, the authorities will tell us that is no solution to the crime wave. While they do have a point, and I say this as someone trained in the use of firearms, they may want to impose a caveat to those who wish to acquire guns. Applicants should be granted licences only after they have successfully completed basic courses in handling and firing weapons.
I note, too, that in a bid to limit the number of vehicles on the nation’s roads, government proposes to impose conditions under which used-car dealers can operate. One stipulation is that dealers must stock parts for the vehicles they sell. May I suggest a similar law be applied to new car dealers? Ask many owners of new vehicles—and here I mean months old—and they will tell you how supposedly reputable dealers do not carry adequate stocks of vital parts.
Indeed, the dealers send their warranty-bearing customers to other parts dealers, saying they would sooner get the parts there! Am I lying? No dealer can look me in the face and say that I am bad-mouthing them.
As Rudder sang, this is a place where “de gobar never stops”. From resisting the imposition of order, opposing the enhancement of our city centres, to using our watercourses as dumping grounds, we seem to have no pride in our country. Until we show by example that we do, we shall remain a nation of unrealised potential.
‘As Rudder sang, this is a place where “de gobar never stops”.
I tend to disagree with that statement. Trinidad has progressed considerably since independence. Here are some of the achievements of Trinis
(1) Literacy rate has increased to over 90% (how many nations can boast of that).
(2) Communication systems has increase (almost everyone own a cell-phone) Compare that to Pakistan for instance.
(3) Wealth-Trinidad is the wealthest Caribbean nation. Per capita no other nation in the Western world is richer. The US has invested more in T&T than they have in most nations of the world.
(4) Culture-T&T cultural mosaic have taken on a global dimension. Nottinghill Carnival started by Trinis is the largest street party in Europe. Caribana in Toronto is also the largest street party attracting over a million visitors.
(5) Giving- Believe it or not Trinis are amongst the most generous. Trinis abroad sending considerable sums of money to their relatives in T&T.
(6) Investment and business development — Since the PP assumed power there has been an increase in new businesses. I know my families are all getting involve in business area. Watch how Chaguanas is transformed.
(7) Leadership- Trinis are the leaders of the Caribbean. Raff only needs to journey outside his cave to know that. Trinis are more refined that any of our Caribbean partners. Have a better command of the English language, try talking to a Guyanese or Jami Raff. In fact in the world community having met people from across the planet, I can tell you Trinis are right up there in the top ten.
The only gobar being thrown is from those who do not understand the complexities of T&T.
Government has to set the example. Every picture that appears in the daily newspapers and internet of government functions, the participants can be seen holding drinks of various types. Who is paying for that? Government.
Discontinue the practice of free flowing alcohol at all government functions.
All potential is realizeable, but not ultimately so.
Thus, is there a difference between potential that is more than likely unrealized, and potential that is more than likely unrealizeable.
As countries go, with laws that are fair, populace-friendly and implementable, T&T, with a culture on one hand of arbitrary disregard for policy and practice, and on the other of those who carry status genuflecting to lawless unprofessionalism was declared politically independent while the instruments of political control, the banks and the landed gentry (now morphed into, and/or replaced by a baronetcy of drug lords) remained sternly unchanged.
Was T&T ever expected to be a country; one with mutually-regarded origins and missions? Begun as it was as an imperial backwater of plantations run by puppet-masters in which rebellious ex-slave puppets were conveniently replaced by docile, late-arrival, low-caste puppets of indentured Indians?
Today, while that imperial puppet master, Perfidious Albion, as he’s done in Africa, Asia, Ireland and elsewhere has conveniently fled the scene of the crime, the local puppets continue to aimlessly dangle; one of them overwrought with power-defeating self-hatreds, and the other wreathed in power-achieving hatreds, not for the puppet masters who criminally dragged them here directly, but against the other puppets who also innocently dragged them here, but indirectly.
Where will this tragi-comic scene of untenable cultural clashes end? For end it will!
Is the prologue to its ending already irreversibly set on a vast disaster? Disasters which are already the epilogues to a Sri Lanka, a Bosnia, a Rwanda?
Or is there room still left for reason, honour, and mutual regard between formerly indentured, and formerly enslaved puppets, determined not to remaining as puppets, but as former victims, set on working towards realizing their irrevocable humanities as one nation?
The Editor: the supplement article following this was to correct some errors in the above.
All potential is realizeable, but not ultimately so.
Thus, is there a difference between potential that is more than likely unrealized, and potential that is more than likely unrealizeable?
As truly independent countries go, with laws that are fair, populace-friendly and implementable, T&T by contrast, with a culture on one hand of arbitrary disregard for policy and practice, and on the other of genuflecting to lawless unprofessionalism was declared politically independent while the instruments of political control, in some instances banks and landed gentry (some now morphed into, and/or replaced by a baronetcy of drug lords) remained sternly unreplaceable.
Was T&T ever expected to be a country; one with mutually-regarded origins and missions?
And begun as it was as an imperial backwater of plantations run by puppet-masters in which rebellious ex-slave puppets were conveniently replaced by docile, late-arrival, low-caste puppets of indentured Indians?
Today, while that imperial puppet master, Perfidious Albion, as he’s done in Africa, Asia, Ireland and elsewhere has conveniently fled the scene of the crime, the local puppets continue to aimlessly dangle; one of them overwrought with power-defeating self-hatreds, and the other wreathed in power-achieving hatreds, not for the puppet masters who criminally dragged them here directly, but against the other puppets who also innocently dragged them here, but indirectly.
Where will this tragi-comic scene of untenable cultural clashes end? For end it will!
Is the prologue to its ending already irreversibly set on a vast disaster? Disasters which are already the epilogues to a Sri Lanka, a Bosnia, a Rwanda?
Or is there room still left for reason, honour, and mutual regard between formerly indentured, and formerly enslaved puppets, determined not to remain as puppets, but as former victims, determined to work towards realizing their irrevocable humanities as one in a truly independent nation?
I don`t know which country you are speaking about Khem, but I think your 90% literacy rate is a joke, and if Nottinghill carnival is your yard stick for success,the benifit is to Nottinghill,not T&T,so I agree with Raf totally.
In my family everyone knows how to read and write except for one member of my clan who cannot read because he is dyslexic. As for Nottinghill carnival being the yard stick let me say that when you are a small nation and you are able to culturally influence the culture in another nation to the extent it is a large income earner, you have exerted your influence in a powerful way. In other words you projecting “soft power”.
“Trinidadians (more so than Tobagonians) are a strange people.” Good point indeed Uncle Shah , for most Trinidadians would never have allowed Tobagonians ,to treat them like a useless bunch , of insignificant, bumbling idiots, like was actually done , for 48 out of 48 years ,since our independence from white Massa England, while the general , empty ,distracting discourses across the nation , is about unfounded ,and phantom racial abuses ,as well as blatant neglects ,by one allegedly empowered group in the nation ,over the other – unconvincing in their perpetual claims of victimhood.
In reference to transport , some would say that the way to elevate our woes on this front ,and put a final death blow into unregulated, dangerous , PH drivers and their activities, is to formulate a comprehensive public transport system. That would mean an implementation of your PP government’s scrapped Rapid rail system , and expanding it 24 hrs , all across our nation.
If POS Mayor Lee Sing was really serious about ridding our major city of it’s myriads of mentally imbalanced ,homeless vagrants, then he went about it the wrong way I agree. In the spirit of newfound national bipartisanship, a more prudent approach would have worked, with mucho win/win benefits ,for all. Got to do my national duty, so here it is, and he can run with it, without giving any credit to me whatsoever, for ‘dats how we progressives roll.’
It is obvious that our sugar , and rice industry is finally dead, and most of the local farmers, still pissed off that they lost their money in the HCU Ponzi scheme, or that most of their neighbors are busy selling out their lands to desperate , yet preferential ,Immigrant Guyanese cousin,who made a financial killing in the George/Charlott Street economic boom.
To prevent further national bleeding , via continual skills , and occasional brain drain flights ,to far off places such as Canada, England and decadent Norte Americana, I suggest the following:-He can have a Pow wow, with mayors from central and south were vast , flat pristine , yet under utilized chiefly ‘government lands,’ are available, and encourage them to construct several mad houses and prisons in these communities American style .
This would create a spin off support and supply industries , as well as huge employment ,for families living in these areas. Simultaneously the PP government can reciprocate as a sign of goodwill , by passing tough legislation,which would state that any one sentenced to these various modern institutions, as a result of being convicted of a serious , violent crime ,or labelled mentally ill , would not only remain stigmatized for life, but should never , ever, be allowed to vote in any local ,or national election , for the rest of their lives.
This can benefit all communities I say.
Firstly, all dem useless African homeless, and often mentally deranged , homeless , violent criminals would be taken off the congested streets of Port Of Spain and similar East/ West Corridor environments.
Secondly , the PP government , would get a chance of fulfilling one of their well touted manifesto pledges , of providing jobs, jobs, and more jobs.
Third , and most importantly, they would not cause much social imbalance politically, as this would prevent that dangerous , and destructive PNM policy of gerrymandering, that nevertheless still enabled East Indians reps to always win certain selective seats , irrespective of the alleged distorted demographics- that was ,until Jack Warner made a killing ,that help “transform Chagurnas, ” in such fine fashion that cousin can be now happy about, so much so that he want to return home after 24 years , living out in the cold Canadian wilderness. Welcome home friend.
“Firstly, all dem useless African homeless, and often mentally deranged , homeless , violent criminals would be taken off the congested streets of Port Of Spain and similar East/ West Corridor environments.”
Nealos yours is the typical islander bellyaching. But as a young lady from the Islands said to me “we use to love come to Trinidad, Trinidad for us was like New York”.
Trinidad is not only POS, POS would be the “Federal” capital but I predict under the PP stewardship Chaguanas will become the “Financial” capital of T&T. In the next five years such transformation will occur provided by some misadventure the PNM does not take the reigns again.
As for the homeless, even in the wealthy nations there are homeless people. Trinidad is no different. The government does have a duty to look after the mentally insane. However, I often ask the question “where are the families in all of this”. How could you allow a member of your clan to go and beg or live on the street??? In our clan we look after each other and I expect the same from other clans. Maybe my tribal friend you can provide me with the answer.
Glad to see khem ,that your and your Yankee hating ,financial lover,thinks that Chagurnas deserves to be the drug haven,prostitution capital of T&T,as opposed to oversatuated,St James,or Maraval.
I myself believe that Redlight sex trade tourism though lucrative for some , might not stand the test in our phony moralistic society,but I have been wrong before.
Just promise to give your non tribal,and politically progressive,nationalistic buddy a heads up, in case your law conscious ,PP government, is about to introduce a referendum said subject, eehh?
Nealos said “I myself believe that Redlight sex trade tourism though lucrative for some , might not stand the test in our phony moralistic society,but I have been wrong before”.
The importation of Columbians and other mainlanders to Central for the purpose of satisfying the lust of a few is morally and ethically wrong. These girls hardly speak English and are terrified of the authorities. Poverty is a killer of morals. Let me say Nealos, that these things cannot change unless the moral consciousness of a nation is troubled. Your concern is well founded my tribal friend, it shows that you understand this poison that is slowly killing families, as the desire for pleasure over rules the desire for a strong family. Continue to speak out against such things my friend. A pebble in pond can cause a ripple that troubles the whole pond.
Well thank you my good tribal friend. Nobody said that nation building was ever going to be easy. Let’s continue to have our honest dialogues, as we try to first identify behaviors/actions that inhibited our progress thus far,hopefully learn from them , and finally ,encourage fellow nationals forward along mutually beneficial part ways.
Warm Regards!
literacy has increase… but trinis still pee on the side walk, drink and get drunk in public. Plenty money yes.. but not wealth, Choas and Corruption seems to be the norm. Too many cars, no respect for laws and regulations. Car Dealers are not providing spare parts (car theft is at its highest). We are fast becoming a place of Do Wah yu Want. So Raff continue to say it as you see it, somebody might take heed.
Great article Shah, as long as we have Carnival and alcohol nothing else matters. Isn’t this the Land of Paradise or the land of Lawlessness.
“You drink all your stomach can hold, and then some, which you excrete on some nearby residents’ walls. Say what? This paradise is a vast urinal anyway, so who gives a damn? Men, and now more than a few women, just bare their “pee-pees” anywhere, anytime. Do not even think of tampering with their rights to urinate, defecate or fornicate in public.”
Now this is merely an exaggeration of Trini conduct. In any nation there will always be a small segement who behaves in this manner, it must not be construed to be the “norm” in society. This type of behaviour is learnt from observing the older generation. Myself had a few “wizz” in the bushes but then again where I live was country area, no nearby washroom. Besides what should a young boy do if he have go, wait until he gets home?
The fact is once alcohol becomes part of your cultural ethos, then it is difficult to not experience such aberrant behaviour, unless washrooms are mandatory in every eating and drinking establishment. This is a standard requirement in all developed nations. Change will come but the change makers must fight against the culture of stupidity and lawlessness. …
For many year people like tribalis Neal would resist due ignorance and incompetence whenever there were demands or request to collectively improve the infrastructure and living conditions in our country, their only response was “we like it so”. This lackadaisical and iconoclastic behavior is the reason why the chicken are coming home to roost.We now have a generation that display sycophantic behavior, generated by years of neglect and lack of proper role models in their fragile lives. They turn to guns as a means of respect to compensate for the lack of identity, self confidence or direction. They deface and destroy anything or anyone without regard for their actions or consequences there of. In-spite of this breakdown in our society, reasonable people would expect that community leaders or anyone in a position to affect any change in the lives of the misguided to step up and walk the walk instead people like Dr.Codjoe talk the talk inciting them further destroy themselves.
What a pitiful , sanctimonious creature this morougamax guy is ehh folks? To think that he ,and his similar lifetime country hating kind, would dare have the audacity, to come on this board ,and lecture us ,the true progressive patriots -on whose backs this entire country was freely built, with no compensation- about ignorance , incompetence, and obviously fake concerns, for infrastructural improvements in our country.
Listen to him, “they turn to guns as a means of respect to compensate for the lack of identity, self confidence or direction.”
He naively believes we are unable to decipher his not too subtle swipe ,as he typically lay the blame for all the ugliness of our country ,on one race , since we the convenient despised ,are just a bunch of savage dunces ,like his hungry , illiterate , gullible ,bare feet , ‘suffer in this life , and wait for a better one when, we return as a smelly Salipainter cousins,’ still wallowing in bacteria infested ,buffalo dung laden , rivers, and lagoons that surrounds the tribal enclaves.
No my friend, not a single gun was ever brought into this country by a politician from the party that ruled the roost for 40 out of the 48 years of our independence. Check instead the Bill of laden, and containers records from your so called dominant , business cousins , and competing economic giants ,dispersed across this nation, that were able to escape scrutiny due the bribes that were paid to desperate Custom Security- as was done when Abu Bakr the Islam puppet as he and similar criminals were cuddled in the lead up to 1990- that failed.
You want to know why your country is the way it is? Check the numerous unscrupulous lawyers that emerged over the years from within your tribal camps ,some of which unfortunately seeped out to become State prosecution lawyers , Magistrates, Judges, and even lofty politicians.
So you now wish to find out why your country remained underdeveloped, and infrastructure was secondary? Look no further that the level of poor leadership offered by lifetime Opposition forces led by Basdeo Panday and his crew , who it seemed missed out on the Westminster classes ,while studying political science in London, Toronto ,and UWI ,where they should have learned the meaning of putting nation interest ,over narrow tribal needs , as opposed to pushing constantly,petty obstructionist policies ,and halting developmental mechanisms- simply because they could- that could have instead ,made us into the economic ,and political gem of the entire region.
Does this character knows the meaning of the word inciting,that he is accusing the good Doc of? Dr Cudjoe is operating less than five years in this country after his years of global sojourns,while the people that can destroy this entire country have lived a life of shame, disgust and misuse , at the hands of self serving economic and political leaders throughout ,they do not need any , especially the doctor to inveigle them into action to demand what’s rightfully theirs, so don’t get it twisted. You and others with some levels of influence , should therefore get your heads out of your rear end , and push a much different, equal playing field agenda for all citizens , unless you think that history cannot repeat itself, yes?
I continue to be amused at the way commenters on these issues reduce them to absurdity in their attacks on each other, talking irreleant tata, just because they could. What I think Raf, is that we imported people from all over the world, and imported the worst traits of all ah dem.
Even the seat belt law which should have put us on par with the rest of the civilized world, is ignored by half the fools who get themselves killed on the road. Motor cyclists also seem bent on committing suicide and going to a place hotter than the heat on their helmets.
One thing I have to comment my people for,though, is the way we conduct elections. That is first world class. Although we trade one set of duncy politicians for another in a kind of ring around the rosy scenario, we are not like Iran, where thousands were arrested for calling for reform, nor like Iraq where the finally agreed to a government after nine months, nor are we like Haiti, Burma/Myanmar, or the latest attrocity a part of the former Soviet Union where people are in jail for running as a member of the opposition. But the one that takes the cake is Cote D’Ivoire. The president lose, he refuse to give up the position. The UN complains, he put them out of his place. I mean these people had the same Colonial masters, Britain and France that so many other countries had.
In terms of conducting elections and handing over power, and accepting loss, we are right up there with Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.(Notice I did not say the US, 2000 still rankles)
Lets give ourselves a pat on the back as we approach the holiday season of drinking ourselves to a stupor, then driving down the road watching TV in our cars, when the driver is the only occupant!Heaven, Papa God, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, watch my people please. Dey incapable of watching over themselves, but we can conduct an election, and organize a parade. God Bless our nation.
”In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory.”
FDR
It’s a pity you could not resurface Madame L and show some outrage , when your former PM was making a fool of himself on the floor of the House of Parliament recently , as he tried and failed to defend his and party atrocious track record over the decades.
If you really care , the question therefore should be , “who is your leader,” and can they rally our people ,not only to paltry, tenuous political victories as played out presently by the PP, but real sustainable development.
Therein, all citizens can feel welcome, as well as filled with hope that they can have an equitable share in our country’s wealth, and their skills, and abilities would be appreciated , over some uncaring foreigner ?
Our stress free rum-drinking lifestyle and not the cascadura may very well be the reason why most Trinidadians have the desire to return to their native land no matter where they may roam.
One of our greatest potential as a nation is the ability of it’s people to adapt and assimilate into any society or culture, we are for the most part a very peaceful loving people. Some of us assimilate so well that we can hardly believe the boy only went New York for six months and come back talking so much Yankee.
Whenever I travel outside of Trinidad, people always tell me how sweet our Trini accent sounds and how warm our people are.
On the other hand there are some Trinidadians that are living outside the country that would tell you, “I eh going back dey, it have too much crime, dey only killing people”. What those same people fail to tell you, the real reason for their bitterness is due to the fact that they do not have legal resident status in that country which inhibits them from traveling freely. Many of them show up in these forums where they rant and rave about conditions on the ground where they have no sense of reality of how things really are.
Trinidad is still a country where a man selling fish, doubles, lettuce, greens, yams or even slippers can build a nice house drive a nice car and the end of the day go down to the local bar and take a drink and relax. Apart from our little crime problem most Trinidadians live a stress free life, we are always ready for a good lime, we always making a cook. Boy take from me, nothing could beat sweet T&T Christmas allyuh hear meh, so don’t listen to the pessimist our glass more than half full, don’t worry we will soon realize our true potential.
Anyway before I go MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL, e prospero anio.
“On the other hand there are some Trinidadians that are living outside the country that would tell you, “I eh going back dey, it have too much crime, dey only killing people.” The real reason for their bitterness is due to the fact that they do not have legal resident status in that country which inhibits them from traveling freely.”
Good point morougamax , but tell me did Papa , or mama, not tell you , never try to climb a gru gru bev ,picker tree? Based on my thousand and one post over the past two years, I might be king of the crop – using your childish analysis ,as a cue-that despised my country due to the fact that it has more crimes than any other place on the planet, including a lifetime of committing genocidal acts, against delicate defenseless citizens, yes?
Now don’t stop short my astute ,social science intellectual friend,but pray tell us the motivations for dem unmentionable ,country hating jokers, hiding out in Richmond Hill/ Hillside Queens, Zoo York, Eastern Scarborough Canada , and Hounslow/Southall, London , that don’t have such fears , since the majority since 86 ,acquired resident papers, being refugees and all.
How do you explain that they only felt inclined ,to return home ,since May 24th 2010, when power occurred, hmmm? Pay attention folks , this bush rum drinking coward enjoy dishing out baseless opinions at every chance ,but would not touch this with a 10ft pole , even if you threaten to bury him in a Morouga crab hole.
How sad, that this is where we are now as far a debates , when grown folks have to come on this board and outlay their entire lives and history , to apparently prove to self serving ,jokers such as morougamax ,how much they care and love their country . In the mean time ,his PP government is prepared to give away the entire treasury to foreign European security experts , they obviously know ‘narda’ about , and with little to show as far as positive crime reduction results,not now ,or the next three years, we are certain . Go figure .
You know, neal and other prattlers, I always have admired the Brits, wherever they live, they live their British lifestyle. Too many Trinis have such a paltry sense of worth in thier own country, that they are quick to dump its culture for the one they imitating, but maybe its the fault of the teachers. If you do not inculcate patriotism, it won’t grow.
As for “why did I not resurface” etc, let me quote an Indian sage, who it is said, kept silence for thirty yers. When he finally broke his silence, he was asked whether he missed being into things, commenting on this and that. “Not as all,” he replied. “Eerything that needed to be said, has already been said”.When conversations descend into the tarpit of invective and personal attacks, I huff myself up to my 5′ 9″, and walk away, leaving the pgmies to fight it out.
If I just want to hear myself, I could play my DVD of poetry, or listen to one of them on Youtube. If I want to see myself in print, I could read one of my books.
I speak when I hink there is a point of view I have worth mentioning. Merry Christmas.
Belive me, there is life beyond this page.
Yeah Madame L , we know how much you love the green eye British part of you, so much so, that you have no problem with a people you raped ,and abused your ancestors , offered no compensation for centuries of atrocities to Africans dispersed across the globe, then held on firmly even up to present moments , due to skillful manipulation of so called educated , yet self serving , competing , neo colonial jokers,and of course , their gullible minions.
So you adore Indian sarge now , ehh? I wonder what he would say about his country today ,where half the population lives below the poverty line , and religious caste adoring elites, ruled the country for decades ,while treating other ethic groups within the country worst than anything Massa England could have induced .
Your Uncle Mahatma Gandhi , must be turning over in his grave at this travesty , as played out by the ‘world’s largest democracy,’ where naive leaders believe, that spending 80% or more, of their annual budget ,on nuclear arsenals , in efforts to challenge similar delusional ,Islamic cousins in Pakistan, is some sign of industrial development and progress. Have a punacreama , and a piece of brown / black cake on me. Merry Xmas, in warm Texas.
Neal you need a good calpat, why are you trying to misconstrue my words. You are always questioning every Indian’s patriotism, are you the patriotism police?
So you stand there in the airport checking every Indian passport to see how long they stayed out of the country and where they coming from? Listen you imbecile, I may own a few fishing vessels and some land in Moruga but I have ventured beyond the confines of my fishing village many times sometimes by means of air travel. I have seen and experienced racism in the US and other countries in which I have traveled, when it affected me directly I addressed it immediately. I will not have anyone in the likes of you or Codjoe question my patriotism to a country where my people shed their blood, sweat and tears. You can live in denial all you want but the reality on the ground speaks for itself, just pick up your daily newspaper and you would see who are committing most of the murders and robberies in the country.
You are always using the word “tribe” do you even know which tribe you are from? I told you before East Indians do not belong to tribes they have a cast system.
I am done with these puissant conversations.Love of country, like the Love of God could be experienced anywhere except in the petty souls of some people
Well I’ll be … our Ibo Queen Madam L ,never for a moment strike me as a coward , that would put her tail between her knees ,and run into a hole like ‘one oh dem Morouga zandolee,’but what can I say but , I have been wrong before , and this might just be another case in point.
She is willing to travel across the globe , and work in the trenches ,to liberate struggling folks in far off regions, yet today is prepared to abandon her national civic duties when her country needs her most, simply due to the fact that she is unable to appreciate a fellow blogger methodology , and perhaps occasional differing opinions on a few subjects.
Please note that not one of the other cyber drivers, traveling on this here information highway, has shown her the respect she deserves, and is more supportive of her efforts as a fervent champion for the globally weak ,and downtrodden ,that suffers constant human rights abuses- especially as it relates to women and children in our country, and yet my reward , is a constant barrage of attacks , delivered from her progressive ,’Huston Global initiatives Think Tank Headquarters.’
Way to go Madam L! UWI Psychology 101 , dictates that if you cannot get at the real source of your malady , and contempt, then kick the most convenient creature that stand in your part.
We men do it every day as well,and as ‘Afro global Diasporic colonial /slave byproducts,’unable to garner full revenge on , or more importantly,long delayed justice from Massa, well,as claimed … you are a student of history so..nuff said on dis subject.
In the mean time ,you would be celebrating this week Uncle Obama’s numerous legislative successes during the lead up to his Hawaiian vacation, while dealing with his lame-duck Congress, and overzealous incoming divided Republicans, yes?
For the record, politics ,is the art of compromise ,prudent solidarity , and strategic thinking my good lady.
Stay engaged .It is in tumultuous times such as these we must rally together,for common good. It’s the way of the more successful.
Warm regards.
Neal you belong in a Zoo or some freak circus, every day you do your the same song and dance like a clown. You know I am your better, por lo que no es necesario que te diga nada mas.
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/A_CAR_FOR_MY_PASTOR-113052169.html#idc-container
It is quite obvious that African folks in this country, are good mimics of their leaders ,from self opinionated Dr Deffy Eric, through ‘Awe we Bouy Robbie,’ clueless Chambers , and finally delusional egotist ,Papa Manning, in that they are always doing what my favorite lady dat ever lived ,represented by my loving Granny would say, “cutting you nose to spoil you face,” and what fools indeed, in part due to their penchant for dis pagan pie in the sky religion ,called Christianity that has inflicted so much pain on their peoples.
Tell me , is there another race in the length ,and breath of these two islands that would make such a foolish move, as giving away a car they won to a pastor with one of his own, so as to stand on the side of the road to beg for a drop to an underpaying tenuous job ? . Good PR job , however to her pastor. Hey lady , if you so enjoy PTSC , and obnoxious taxi drivers , den sell the vehicle, and invest the money in your family .
It’s the way you see heaven – on earth that is.
Buoy , it’s getting more and more difficult, to still luv members of this race ,ah tell you .
Let’s wish dem well.